By Jennifer P. Rendon
Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo revealed assassination plans against him and his wife, Pamplona town Mayor Janice Degamo.
The assassins: the three armed men who were intercepted at the Caficlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan evening of June 29, 2020.
In a press conference, Degamo said he received a text message that there were men traveling on board a Nissan X-Trail SUV (license plate XSL-752) that were out to kill him and his wife.
They were allegedly hired killers.
But thanks to tightened security at the Caticlan Jetty Port, Marvin Miranda, 31, a resident of Batasan Hills, Quezon City; Mario Puyal, 62, of Sitio Pusawan, Barangay Ususan, Taguig City; and Adolfo Obiacoro, 34, of Imus, Cavite, were intercepted.
Degamo said he and his family were alarmed when they received the information.
When asked for the possible motive, Degamo mentioned that the plot against him may have stemmed from a recent Supreme Court decision allowing him to run for governor.
“Because of this, I can still run as governor. And the easiest way to do is eliminate me, my wife,” he said.
Meanwhile, Police Lieutenant Colonel Gervacio Balmaceda, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 6 (CIDG-6) regional director, did not confirm Degamo’s claims saying they did not get information from the suspects who are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).
“We couldn’t extract information from them unless it’s in the presence of their legal counsel,” he said.
The three suspects who travelled from Luzon said they were bound for Negros Oriental.
Information from the PNP indicates that Miranda, a Philippine Army reservist, hails from Villarreal, Bayawan, Negros Oriental, while Puyal is a retired Army member.
Obiacoro, a tricycle driver, drove the van they used.
Police and Philippine Coast Guard authorities recovered from the suspects a Sulun shotgun with four long steel magazines and a short steel magazine with 12 cartridges; a caliber .45 (M1911 Rock Island) high-cap pistol with two steel magazines and 23 live ammunitions; a Masada caliber .9mm pistol with four magazines and 61 live ammunitions; and a Taurus spectrum caliber .380 pistol with two magazines and 12 ammunitions.
Also taken from their possession were two holsters, a sling bag, a black bag, an ammunition box with 100 patented rounds and another 100 reload rounds of caliber .9mm ammunitions; two boxes of caliber .45 ammunitions, 77 live caliber .45 ammunitions, and 31 shotgun ammunitions.
Other recoveries were two cartoons of caliber .45 ammunitions and another cartoon of 12-gauge shotgun ammunitions; and a steel ammunition box.
The identification cards and pertinent documents presented by the suspects are still being verified.
Balmaceda said Miranda showed identification cards and documents that all firearms were registered in his name.
But only the caliber .9mm and caliber .380 pistols have permits to carry firearm outside of residence (PTCFOR).
“We already requested from Camp Crame to counter check the documents presented by the suspects,“ Balmaceda said.
Nonetheless, they were still charged for violation of RA 10591.
